SPOILERS FOR COBRA KAI S4 E10

“The Rise”

Everything is set up for our big time conclusion. Thankfully, Miguel did not re-break his back as they implied in episode 9. But he had a half hour to return to the match or forfeit, flashing back to how Daniel had the same situation in The Karate Kid. However, Miguel figured out that Johnny was encouraging him to get back out there and was more concerned with the match than with him. (That may not be the case, but that is what Miguel thought).

Miguel failed to answer the time limit and forfeited, sending Eli into the finals against Robby.

Of course, the girls final was Sam vs. Tory. The problem with the set up was that the boys went first and the show spoiled the outcome because they stated that Cobra Kai would win the overall dojo championship by winning just one of the two remaining matches and that Miyagi-do had to win both. Clearly, Miyagi-do was going to win the first one to keep the tension up. Still, Eli won in sudden death, a major upset, but completing his redemption arc of the season.

Kenny completed his turn to Cobra Kai as he viciously attacked Anthony, who had come to the locker room to apologize for his actions during the series. Kenny is now a villain, unlike the first couple of episodes of the season.

Of course, everything was going to be determined by Tory vs. Sam. In order to do what was best for her, Daniel approached Johnny and asked for his help. In a wonderful scene between the two senseis, Johnny and Daniel agreed to work together to stop Kreese and Silver.

The battle between Sam and Tory has been building since Tory arrived in season 2. As Sam was blending the two style of karate, the battle raged. And since we know that there is to be a final 5th season of this show, Tory got the win, giving Cobra Kai the final victory of the dojos and making it so that Daniel and Johnny had to give up their own dojos.

We discover some interesting tidbits at the end of the season, all setting up for season 5.

• Silver had bought off the ref. That was why the ref made a controversial call about Tory being out of bounds instead of taking a winning point.
• Tory heard Silver thank the ref so she knows that the fix was in.
• Miguel took off to find his real father. Johnny promised Carmine he would find him.
• We saw a flashback to when Silver was beating Raymond and he said that he would stop beating him and let him into Cobra Kai, but he had to do something for him.
• What Silver wanted Raymond to do was to tell the police that Kreese was the one who attacked him.
• This led to Kreese being arrested for assault and attempted murder, leaving Silver in charge of Cobra Kai.
• Daniel was at Miyagi’s grave, promising to stop Cobra Kai… as long as he had the help of Chozen, who was in the graveyard with Daniel.

This was a great season, and it sets up some real drama in season 5. I still think we see some pay off for Silver being sick and our heroes are heading in different directions. They will eventually come together in the end.

Can’t wait for season 5!